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Chris Kurzfeld
Joined: 29 Oct 2007
Posts: 1649
Location: Carmarthenshire
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 Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 3:56 pm Post subject: Feathering problem - I think |
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| I have got 2 broodies each with chicks, mum no 1 has 3 x 4 week old (today) chicks and mum number 2's 4 chicks are 2 days younger. The chicks are Welsummer and Welsummer x'd with - WelsummerxBlack Rock, Maran, CLB, Light Sussex, Bluebelle & Warren. Mum number one has 2 black chicks and 1 pure welsummer, i'm assuming the black chicks came from the Black Rock eggs but, although one is nicely feathered, the other is still very stubbly, smaller with lots of fluff. In fact all the other 6 are now looking like proper chooks, it's just this one that I would say, feather wise, looks more like it's at the 2 week old stage and not that much bigger. It has got some feathers, it's mainly at the top of the wings, middle of it's back and it's tail it looks stubbly and fluffy. It's pouring down here at the moment, and due to do so for the next couple of days, so can't get a photo. is it just a late developer or is there something wrong? |
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Kitsune
Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Posts: 1406
Location: Manchester
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| Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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I had a chicken like that - apparently it's a genetic fault, ours did (eventually) feather out fully but it took a hell of a long time - here's some pictures of her.
And one of the others at the same age
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Woodburner
Joined: 26 Jul 2007
Posts: 731
Location: Deepest Essex, well, a village...
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| Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Late developers worry me, surely slow development (unless normal for the breed) is a sign of something wrong? |
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Pekinout
Joined: 29 Apr 2008
Posts: 1188
Location: Cornwall
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| Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:43 pm Post subject: |
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Not always but sometimes late developers are those that are late hatching, which means they've more than likely been helped out of the shell. If they're late hatching it's always for some reason like genetically passed on faults or deformities.
A normal hatched late developer is normally genetic as someone said earlier. And it's best not to breed with those as you just keep getting chicks that develop later and later, and are usually more prone to getting infections or diseases. |
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Henwife
Joined: 31 Jan 2006
Posts: 3469
Location: Monmouthshire
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| Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 9:35 pm Post subject: |
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Heavy breed cockerels feather up well behind their sisters.
Assume it's male and be glad there's only one. |
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oliversnana
Joined: 20 May 2008
Posts: 56
Location: leicestershire
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| Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 10:30 am Post subject: |
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| I've got 3 Cochin's i bought from merrydale, they are 4 week old this week end and 1 is well feathered and the other two are slower one is also a lot smaller than the other two. just going to see what happens one of my older daughters says I've got 1 girl 2 boys but she thinks the well feathered one is a boy will be interesting to see. celia |
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EGirl
Joined: 01 Nov 2007
Posts: 1277
Location: Dublin, Ireland
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| Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 9:55 pm Post subject: To Greentree, the opposite of what I thought! |
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| Henwife wrote: | Heavy breed cockerels feather up well behind their sisters.
Assume it's male and be glad there's only one. |
Looks like your feathered chick might be a girl and the one I thought was female, a cockeral!!! 
Told you I was talking sh*te!   |
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EGirl
Joined: 01 Nov 2007
Posts: 1277
Location: Dublin, Ireland
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| Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 9:57 pm Post subject: |
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Um, sorry, the above post is meant for Greentree!
Doh!! |
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